Did the trainers cross the line in their bid to show solidarity to S M Johnson?, Yes. No. Not sure. were the three options in front of the racing buffs and top professionals from the other sport disciplines. A good number said Yes, pointing out that the sport is above all individual performers. And all sportsmen need to play by the rules. Protest agreed. Pull out after accepting to race under the rules of racing, not done.  Some agreed with the trainers' decision, not to saddle horses in the last two races, pointing out that it was the administrators of the game who first crossed the line, confiscating Jhonson's phone, while a majority of the others, who ticked the `Not Sure' box pointed out that after lodging a protest the trainers could have taken up the case and sought explanations on the seizure of the cell phone the next day and under protest completed their engagements on that day.

Well it all happened after two piping hot favourites from Johnson's yard, Infiniteposibility and Daddy's Girl failed to justify their top billings and Johnson was under the radar of the Stewards of the Mysore Race Club (MRC). The mandarins of the club, it is learnt asked the trainer to deposit his mobile phone with the authorities. The men exercising the vigil made it clear that they needed to instantly check out the call records and messages. Y B Ganesh, the chairman of the club later revealed that the Stewards found many incriminating messages and ordered an enquiry. To conduct an enquiry on a suspected foul play or malpractice by the conductors of the game, who are entrusted the task to strictly monitor fair play is accepted. But what irked the trainers was the approach and the procedure the authorities adopted.

Ganesh clarified that after the two favourites lost out, the Stewards called and asked Johnson if he would hand over his cell phone to the Stewards to check on his calls list and  the trainer willingly agreed and deposited his phone.The MRC chairman further disclosed that on scrutiny, a number of incriminating messages.were found and after it was decided by the decision makers to conduct a detailed enquiry, the trainers pulled out their horses and the club was forced to call off the last two races. Ganesh made it clear that fair play and integrity will not be compromised and high handed approach and indiscipline will be not be tolerated. "We now have opened two enquiries. The first against the trainer pertaining to the running of Infiniteposibility and Daddy's Girl and the second against the indiscipline of trainers, who chose not to race their wards in the final two races," said Ganesh.

Well back to racing before the big drama, Sharath Kumar-trained Smile Around piloted by Vaibhav made every post a winning one in the lower division of the Lalithamahal Plate run over a sprint. The winner after hitting the front, the moment the field of 10 runners came under the starter's flag, never let the initiative slip powering home to the delight of the Sharath camp. Ultimate Choice gained the runner-up berth ahead of the top choice Rumour Lady, while Ash Winder completed the frame.

In the next event, the lower division of the Triveni Plate, the Johnson schooled Infiniteposibility was backed down to the exclusion of her 11 rivals. John astride the heavily backed public choice hit the front and called the shots till the final furlong before the eight to one shot Perfectimagination partnered by Dhanu Singh Deora shot ahead and cruised home in emphatic fashion. The second in demand at the betting ring, Quando Quando finished third ahead of War Song.

Disappointed with the below par effort of Infiniteposibility, the followers of form in their effort to recoup their losses punted big on another top fancy Daddy's Girl from Jhonson's yard. The big volumes of money on Daddy's Girl saw the five-year-old mare close a strong on-money favourite at (60/100), while the second in demand at the betting ring, Lightning Charlie from Prithviraj's yard was freely offered at (7/2). John back partnering Daddy's Girl streaked ahead and led for a brief while approaching the final furlong before the promising apprentice Vivek G packed punch on the Prithvi ward and the `Charlie' responding gamely to his master's call produced a sparkling gallop to romp home a smart winner. War Trail finished third behind the runner-up Daddy's Girl.
After losing out big in the first three races a good number of punters called it a day, while a few left with small money again supported another on-money favourite Tactical Command from champion Bengaluru trainer Prasanna Kumar's yard. The public rage confidently piloted by Antony Raj justified his ranking and rating, putting the race to bed in the final furlong. Galen gained the runner-up berth ahead of Lucky Chance from Dominic's yard.

The talented and speedy Knight Of Hooves from Rajesh Narredu's yard was fancied most in the Sardar K B Ramachandraraj Urs Memorial Trophy run over a sprint, but the public choice found the Mysuru mainhope Gold Field from Aditya's yard too hot to handle and had to rest content with the runner-up berth. Gold Field who surprised the overwhelming favourite The Sovereign Orb in his last essay is in fine nick and is likely to complete a hat-trick of wins if his connections shrewdly place him in his next start.

Well after the hit-machine Saqlain booted home his fourth winner of the week, the trainers not impressed with the decision of the Stewards to open an enquiry on the performances of the two Johnson wards chose to pull out their horses from the remaining two races and that marked the end of the day's programme.